Sights in the City

During the summer of 1980, under the direction of his father, a photographer, Jamel Shabazz armed himself with a Canon AE1 SLR camera and passionately photographed the urban landscape that he called home. New York City—“the city that never sleeps”—was the ideal epicenter to photograph because of its 24-hour subway system and the many businesses that are open late into the night. Never without a dull moment, New York’s energy inspired him to use the streets as a canvas for the majority of his work for over 35 years. Photographing in the streets put Shabazz in the heart of all of the action—he carried his camera everywhere, always set and at the ready. Like a fisherman seeking a fruitful catch, Shabazz ventured into locations full of life and uncertainty in hopes of capturing a unique moment. More importantly, he sought to gain insight into the conditions of the larger world and its inhabitants. Sights in the City is a testament to Shabazz’s visual journey, contianing 120 color and black-and-white photographs, most of which have never been published. His images are both intimate and provocative in nature, each having its own DNA.